Sunday, February 23, 2014

Recently, as I was reading in the book of I Kings, I came across the account of Solomon building the temple of YHWW(probably translated as "the LORD" in your Bible) in Jerusalem. The building was according to very specific instructions, just as the Tabernacle before it. In fact, the Temple of YHWH was designed to be an exact replica of God's throne room in heaven. Interestingly, the pillars of the Temple, numbering 2, were given names. Pillars are meant to uphold or support something. When we refer to someone as a pillar of the community, he is considered an upstanding citizen, a person of character, a person who contributes to the success of the community. Solomon named the two pillars in the front of the Temple Jachin and Boaz. The pillars were symbolic as well as functional. The names Solomon gave them are extremely important. Jachin, pronounced Yaw-keen comes from the Hebrew root of God, Ya, and keen meaning establishes - translation: God establishes. The name Boaz means strength. Jachin and Boaz loosely translates as "established by God's strength."

The Temple of YHWH in Jerusalem was a massive human undertaking, taking seven years of labor without the benefit of modern construction equipment. Solomon named the pillars, the very first thing anyone would see on the approach to the Temple, Established by God's Strength to ensure that everyone in Israel would know where the true power of the temple resided, in God. In fact, the very Glory of God resided in the Temple for many years, until the sin of Israel reached a level that God could no longer tolerate. The symbolism of naming the pillars Jachin and Boaz demonstrated that all of Israel's purpose, faith and function was established and upheld by the power of God, not by human effort.

God reminds us throughout His word that it is He who empowers us to do His work and the results are supernatural. In Zechariah 4:6 we find God telling the governor, Zeubabbel. as he is undertaking the rebuilding of Jerusalem and a new Temple:Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.God's desire is for us to acknowledge Him that we may bring Glory to His name and that He may guide us and bless us. Proverbs 3:6 states:In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. God shows us through word, symbol and deed that He is the strength behind all of creatiion.

As in many of God's lessons to us, Jachin and Boaz has been co-opted by occultism and is used by Eastern mystics and especially Freemasons to infer a very different meaning. These groups look to Jachin and Boaz to infer power and wealth to it's adherents through occultic power not associated with the God of scripture. The true power of Jachin and Boaz is understanding that all the strength of the universe comes from God to be given to us at His pleasure and for His purpose.

Today, believers in Jesus Christ are each the Temple of the living God. We are each indwelt by the Spirit of God and are His representatives on earth. As our true home is yet to come, we are ambassadors of Christ awaiting our call home. While we are in this life, it is important that we understand Jachin and Boaz as God's establishing us, His holy Temples, through His strength. Philippians 4:13 tells us: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. It is by the power of God that we are established and upheld, just as the Temple of YHWH was once established and upheld by the two pillars Jachin and Boaz. As we remember that all our power and strength comes from God, we are apt to be more careful to pray for guidance and direction. God wants us to acknowledge Him and come to Him for all of our needs.

There is nothing mystical found in the names Jachin and Boaz except the concept that all good things are established by the power and strength of our Creator and Lord, Jesus Christ. The meaning of Jachin and Boaz are foundational to our spiritual growth as believers. The more we acknowledge God and the more we call on Him for guidance and the more we submit to His will and authority, the more we will experience peace and joy in our lives. God desires so much for us and we can experience great spiritual blessing by understanding that He is our lives, not simply part of our lives.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Once again, the very crowd screaming the loudest about tolerance has shown just how intolerant they actually are. In the marketplace of ideas, apparently only ideas that agree with a liberal agenda are welcome. Christian Rapper Bizzle has recorded a song pointing out the hypocrisy of the gay rights movement and the sin of the homosexual lifestyle. In return, the same group that rings the bell of intolerance every time someone dares disagree with them, has found it appropriate to spew hatred and violence against Bizzle and his viewpoint. Bizzle has a viewpoint that has been shaped by his faith and his life experience, but because it is not a politically correct viewpoint or in lock step with the vocal minority, his view point is considered hateful and worthy of death. One comment left on his video stated, "I'm gonna chop your body up..."

As a christian, I find most of the lyrics of most popular music to be distasteful at best. I disagree in the strongest sense to songs that glorify sin. My response... I do not buy it and I do not listen to it. I believe that much of what is perpetuated as entertainment is disgraceful in the eyes of God and blatantly rebellious toward Him. I find the celebration of sin repulsive and am sickened over the influence the entertainment industry has had over America in driving our culture farther and farther from the godly values that this country was founded on. I would never threaten nor condone the murder of those who create such entertainment. I do pray for entertainers when I think of it and I do set boundaries for what is acceptable in my home and I do encourage other believers to stand up for morality in their personal lives, but I cannot even imagine calling for the death of someone who has a different belief system than mine.

The fact that someone can be threatened and bullied for a viewpoint that does not match the moral bankruptcy of today's culture is outrageous. Christianity is becoming marginalized because believers refuse to act on their proclaimed faith. Church has become a social club and faith a matter of rhetoric rather than practice. We, meaning the Church, continue to buy music that defies God and His moral commands, we continue to look the other way when open sin is practiced in our congregations, and we seldom, if ever, act on our convictions when confronted with clear issues of right and wrong. The Church has not lost it's voice in America, we have forfeited it by our refusal to live uncompromised lives. The vocal minority may very well have become the majority.

Bizzle's song "Same Love (A Response)" was written as a rebuttal to a Rap song called "Same Love" which endorses the homosexual lifestyle and was performed live at this year's Grammy Awards. Our society has been kidnapped by the values of hell and one man dared stand up for the principles found in the Bible. I challenge believers to put your faith into action, get off the pew and into the game. We are heading for a modern version of Sodom and Gomorrah while the the people of God sit and complain. I salute Bizzle and his stand for truth. If more believers put faith into action, the Church would have a voice and influence on the culture rather than the culture corrupting the church.